Knitting machine with selector wheel nullifying cams



Jan. 30, 1951 L. MISHCON ETAL KNITTING MACHINE WITH SELECTOR WHEELNULLIF'YING cms Filed July 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 HARR GUL/VEKATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1951 MISHCON ETAL 2,539,790

KNITTING MACHINE IITH sELEcw-QR WHEEL NULLIFYING ems Filed July 21, 19504 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR$ LESTER M/SHCON HARRY AGULNEK ATTORNEY Jan.30, 1951 L. msmzow- ETAL KNITTING MACHINE WITH SELECTOR WHEEL NULLIFYINGCAMS Filed July 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mvEn/mns LESTER M/SHCO/V HA RRY A'GULNEK A TTORNE Y Patented Jan. 30, 1951 KNITTING MACHINE WITHSELECTOR WHEEL NULLIFYING CAMS Lester Mishcon, Queens, and HarryAgulnek, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Supreme Knitting Machine 00.,Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 21,1950, Serial No. 175,086

16 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines--- And in this aspect of ourinvention it is an important object to obtain flexibility of designpatterns and sizes in a machine that is simpler in construction andeasier to control than conventional knitting machines.

Heretofore when it was desired to obtain larger striped patterns, forexample, it was necessary to increase the number of striping boxes. Todouble the size of the pattern field of a fabric produced by sixteenstriping feeds it was necessary to increase the number of such feeds tothirty-two, resulting in a cumbersome and expensive apparatus. It iswithin our contemplation to accomplish the same effect withoutincreasing the number of striping boxes, but merely by insertingalternately between the striping stations reiatively simple cam membersconstituting one aspect of our invention.

In the accomplishment of the last-mentioned objective, it is a furtherobject of our. invention to coactively associate said novel cam memberwith a selector wheel and stitch cam whereby the said wheel mayselectively be permitted to create its intended design effects (alongwith those of the striping boxes), or be nullified in its operation sothat the needles engaged by the wheel will do no knitting. And it isanother important and related object of our invention to accomplsh thisresult without in any way changing the position of the. selector wheelor disengaging it from the butts of the needles, so that the entireknitting process is effective while the wheel is in constant engagementwith the our said novel cam member, the needles at said non-stripingstations, in accordance with a predetermined setting of the machine,whereby the machine can be automatically changed from a sixteen feedstriping arrangement; for example, to a thirty-two feed machine withalternate striping stations.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a relatively simpleautomatic mechanism cooperatively associated with both said stripingboxes and said novel cam members for selectively actuating said boxesand members independent- 1y, so that they may be brought in and out ofplay together or separately. And in this aspect of our invention it isan important object to provide an improved floating cam apparatus,involving a modification of that illustrated in patent applicationSerial No. 35,376, adapted separately to actuate said striping andalternate knitting stations, and adapted as well to separately actuate aplurality of other coactively associated knitting members. It is ourfurther objective to have said floating cam movable with the rotatingcylinder, and adapted to be actuated by remotely disposed automaticselective controls, without the employment of linkage or othercontinuous connections or complicated electrical mechanisms foreffectuating the controlled movement of the said floating cam.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide a simple andrelatively small device for taking out of action all needles leaving aselector wheel, and bringing said needles to a non-knitting or weltposition prior to their engagement with the stitch cam. And in a broaderaspect of this objective it is a further object to make any yarn feedingstation inoperative for feeding yarn into the hooks of needles movingtherepast. And it is also an object of our invention to enable thisdevice to be instantly moved to and from its operative projected andretracted positions, whereby selective controls may be readily effected.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings andthe description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view, with portions broken away forclarity, of a circular knitting machine embodying our invention, thedrawing showing five feeding stations including two alternate stripingboxes.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section of Figure 1 taken along line 22,showing the yarn carrier bracket and the yarn guide.

Figure 3 is a schematic front view of the 3 novel cam member of ourinvention shown disposed between a stitch cam and a selector wheel (aportion broken away for clarity) represented by dot-dash lines, theretractable nullifying cam being shown in its raised retracted orinoperative position, several needles being shown in various positionsand the paths of their butts be n represented by dotted lines. a

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3, except that th nullifying cam is inits lowered projected or operative position.

Figure 5 is a section of Figure 4 taken along line 5-5, showing afragment of a needle being operatively drawn down by a depressing camjust prior to the stitch-cam.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the nullifying cam unit.

Figure 7 is a section taken substantially along line 'I'| of Figures 1and 4, the nullifying cam actuating arm being shown in full lines whenthe cam is in its lower position and in dot-dash lines when the cam isin its upper position.

Figure 8 is a plan view of Figure '7, showing also the position of theselector wheel relative to the novel cam member.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the floating cam unit for selectivelactuating the nullifying cam and the striping box mechanism.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the knitting machine, thestriping boxes and the supporting ring therefor being removed, thefloating cam being shown in its extreme outer position and about to beengaged by a stationary retracting pin at the beginning of one cycle.

Figure 11 is a view substantially like Figure 10, but showing anadvanced position of the floating cam just prior to being engaged by apin on the control bracket.

Figure 12 is a view like Figure 10, but showing the floating camadvanced somewhat beyond the position in Figure 11, the control bracketpin being in engagement with the inner and lower vertical cam surface,the floating cam being shown in its limiting outer position.

Figure 13 is a view substantially like Figure 12, the control bracketpin being shown in engagement with the outer and upper vertical camsurface, the floating cam being shown in an intermediate position.

Figure 14 is a section of Figure 12 taken substantially along line llll,fragments being removed for clarity, the striper control rod and thenullifying control rod being both shown in operatively raised positions.

Figure 15 is a section substantially like that of Figure 14, but showingthe floating cam and associated parts substantially in the position ofFigure 11, the striping box and nullifying cam control elements being intheir operatively lowered position, the view also showing a timing chainfor operating the control bracket.

Figure 16 is a view substantially like Figure 15, but showing thefloating cam and associated parts substantially inthe position of Figure13, the striping box control element being shown in its raised positionwhereas the nullifying cam element being shown in its lowered position.

Figure 17 is a view substantially like Figure 16, but showing thefloating cam and associated parts substantially in the position ofFigures 12 fled form of our nullifying cam member, the

needles being substantially in the position shown r 4 in Figure 3 whenthe nullifying cam is in its re tracted or inoperative position.-

Figure 19 is a view like Figure 18, but showing the nullifying cam inits projected or operative position, the needles being substantially inthe position like that of Figure 4.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary sectional view of the nullifying cam memberin the position of Figure 18, a fragment of the actuating arm beingshown in engagement therewith, and

Figure 21 is a fragmentary section of Figure 19 taken substantiallyalong line 2l2 I, a fragment of the actuating ar'm being shown inpressing engagement with the nullifying cam to bring it into itsprojected operative position.

In the particular form of our invention illustrated in the figures, acircular knitting machine is shown having a stationary ring 25 on ,whichare mounted the yarn carrier brackets 28 for feeding strands of yarn 21'to operatively engage needles passing stations generally designated A,there being also alternate striping boxes 28 at stations generallydesignated B (Figure l). The rotating cylinder carries verticallymoveable needles raised and depressed by various cam and selector wheeldevices, certain of which will hereinafter be described, the lateralperiphery of the revolving cylinder carrying the needles being adjacentthe inner wall 29 of the outer ring structure of the machine, saidcylinder not being shown since it is of conventional construction wellknown to those skilled in the art. Suflice it to say that the verticallymounted needles are so disposed that their hooks will receive yarn fromeither or both the yarn carrier brackets 26 or the striping boxes 28, aswill more clearly hereinafter appear. Disposed along the said inner wall29,- and adjacent each of the yarn carrier brackets 26 at stations A isour novel cam member 30 with which needles 3! are engageablesubstantially as indicated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and '7.

The operative rotation of the cylinder carrying needles 3i will causesaid needles to come into successive engagement with the yarn from saidstriping boxes 28 at stations B and then into engagement with theraising and lowering devices at stations A, and raising and loweringdevices being shown in Figures 3 and 4. The needle butts first engagethe approach cam 32, in conventional manner, to be elevated to aposition where the butt will engage the selector wheel 33. Thereafterthe needles are raised to one of two positions, depending upon whetheror not there are jacks or fillers within the selector wheel. Forexample, as shown in Figur 3, needle 3| a has been raised to one level,whereas needle 3lb has been raised to a somewhat higher level because ofa jack within the pattern wheel which engaged the butt 34b. Butts 34aand 34b thereafter continue along horizontal paths 35 and 36,respectively, to follow certain further paths dependent upon theposition of the vertically moveable nullifying cam 31 the action ofwhich will hereinafter be described. For the present it need merely benoted that in Figure 3 the said nullifying cam 31 is in its raisedretracted or inoperative position. The arrangement is hence such thatthe butt 34b continues to travel along path- 36 until it strikes theelevating cam 38 on the wing member 39 pivotally mounted at 40 (thepivotal movement of said wing enabling a retraction thereof against theaction of spring 4| for reasons which need not be set forth for thepurpose of the present application). The said elevating cam 38 bringsaasavoo the needle 3th to the uppermost or latch-clearing position shownat C at which point it. will take yarn 21 from the yarn carrier bracket26, in conventional manner. Thereafter, upon a continued movement ofneedle 3|! the butt engages the depressing surface 42 of the stitch cam43, to perform a knitting operation by lowering needle MD to theposition D, the cast-01f position. Following the course of needle 3Ia,it will be seen that the butt 34a continues along the path 35 until itstrikes the underside of the depressing cam 44, whereby it will bebrought down to path '45 to engage the lowermost tip of the stitch cam43 and move to the left. It is apparent that since butt 34a was notelevated to the level of path 36, it could not engage lifting cam 38 andhence could not be brought to the latch-clearing position; and hence theneedle 3m, in traveling along a lower level than needle 3th performed noknitting operation whatsoever. And it will be further observed thatsince the said nullifying cam 31 was in its raised position, it offeredno obstruction whatsoever to the movement of needle 3lb until its buttengaged lifting cam 38, thereby permitting needle 3) to take the yarnand perform a knitting operation.

By referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that the nullifying cam 31 hasnow been brought to its lower projected or operative position. Here thedepressing surface 46 of the upwardly extending arm 41 is interposed inthe path of butt 34b. Accordingly, this butt engages the depressingsurface 46, the butt following downwardly inclined path 36a until thebutt reaches the depressing cam 44, whereby.the needle will ultimatelybe carried to the position D. It thus appears that when said nullifyingcam 31 is in its lowered position, it will engage all the needles thatwer raised by jacks in the selector wheel 33, depressing them to a levelbelow lifting surface 38, thereby diverting said needles from the pathof Figure 3 where such elevated needles alb would be further elevated toa latch-clearing position. The lowered position of cam 31 did in no wayaffect the movement of needle 3ia, its butt 34a moving horizontallyuntil striking the depressing surface 44 as in the case of Figure 3.

From the foregoing it is thus evident that the nullifying cam 31, whenlowered into its projected operative position, will nullify the actionof selector wheel 33 in raising needles 3lb to a level where it will beelevated again by cam 38 to a latch-clearing position. In other words,the said nullifying cam when in its operative position is adapted totake out of action all such needles raised by jacks in the selectorwheel for forming a predetermined pattern, this nullifying effect beingaccomplished without in any way removing the selector wheel fromcontinuous engagement with successive needles on the rotating cylinder.However, when the nullifying cam 31 is retracted to its upper position,as indicated in Figure 3, there is no such interference with the actionof the selector wheel, and the'latter is permitted to perform its designfunction according to the arrangements of jacks therein. As willhereinafter more clearly appear, the raising and lowering of thenullifying cam 31 is effectuated by means of an improved floating camand associated apparatus, said floating cam at selected intervalscausing a raising and lowering of the nullifying cam through itscomparatively short stroke. The operation is such that the operativeprojection and retraction of the nullifying cam is accomplishedpractically in- 6 stantly, without any delay or lag which mightinterfere with the continued and uninterrupted operation of the machine.

The nullifying cam 31 contains a slotted portion 48 extending inwardlyfrom the lateral side thereof. Extending through said slot and inengagement with the upper and lower walls thereof is the actuating arm52 which is connected with a mechanism for moving said arm up and down,whereby corresponding movements are imparted to the nullifying cam 31,said latter cam slidably moving vertically between the lateral walls 50of a suitablyrecessed portion 5| of cam member 30.

By referring to Figure '7 it will be seen that the said actuating arm 52is pivotally mounted at 53 and disposed between the ends of thebifurcated bracket 54 (Figure 8), the arm being yieldably urgeddownwardly by spring 55 anchored on base 56 and attached to the arm 52at 51. The framework 58 rotatably supports, ataxial portion 59, theratchet wheel 63, a spring 6! urging the ball 62 into pressingengagement with suitable recesses in the lateral wall of the ratchetwheel to yieldably maintain it against movement after each rotativemovement. In underlying operative engagement with said ratchet wheel 50is the pawl 63 extending from the plate 64 pivotally mounted at 65between the bifurcated upper portion 66 of the rod 61 movable verticallywithin housing 68 against the action of spring 69, said spring normallyurging said rod 61 downwardly. It will be noted that the lowermostprotrudin portion 10 of said rod is of reduced thickness, to enable itto clear certain portions of the apparatus, as will appear fromthedrawings'. A spring 1|, mounted at said upper portion 66, is inengagement with plate 64, thereby normally urgmg said plate 54 and thepawl 63 inwardly towards the ratchet wheel 60.

The actuating arm 52 carries thereon the vertical bar 12 to the upperportion of which is attached the cam block 13 containing a cam portion14. Engageable with said cam portion 14 are a plurality of studs 15 inthreaded engagement with holes 16 extending inwardly from the innersurface 11 of the ratchet wheel. The number and spacing of said studsdepends upon predetermined design considerations, since it is only whenone of said studs engages the'cam portion 14 of the cam block 13 thatthe actuating-arm 52 is raised, as will hereinafter appear.

.The said downwardly protruding portion 10 of the rod 61 is selectively(by a method to be hereinafter described) forced upwardly atpredetermined intervals, whereupon the plate 54 will be correspondinglyraised to cause the pawl 63 to engage an overlying tooth of the ratchetwheel 30, causing it to rotatethrough the pitch distance of said teeth;When a stud 15 engages the cam surface 14, it will lift the entire camblock 13, and thereby cause a corresponding lifting of the actuating arm52 to the dot-dash position shown in Figure [,thereby correspondinglymov- I lifying control rod 31 is, as aforesaid, a novel mechanism. Nodetails are herein given with respect to said striper mechanism, sinceit is well known to those skilled in the art (a description of itsoperation appearing in said application Serial No. 35,376). As ischaracteristic of' conventional striping box constructions, there is aratchet wheel 18 (Figure 1) operatively associated with a rotating drum(not shown) which, I

through known mechanisms, actuates the striping fingers 19 carryingstriping yarn. Said ratchet wheel 18 is operated by a pawl-carryingmember 89 to which is attached the pawl 8| (Figure 14) the said member89 being attached to the striper pawl control rod 82, the bottom of saidrod containing the terminal 83. In a man-.

ner to be hereinafter described, said terminal 83 is operatively engagedby the aforementioned floating cam to cause the pawl 8| to move upwardlyinto operative engagement with ratchet wheel 18, against the action ofspring 84 which normally urges the rod 82 downwardly.

The floating cam above referred to, designated generally by thereference numeral 85, rests upon the floor of the revolving cylinderring 86 (Figure 14), the cam being disposed within a. pocket or recessedportion 81 proportioned to slidably accommodate therein said cam forradial slidable movement, as will more clearly hereinafter appear. Thecam 85 comprises, in its preferred form illustrated, a narrowarcuatestrip 88 adapted to operatively engage the lower terminal 83 of the saidstriper control rod 82, and spaced outwardly and laterally therefromanother narrow arcuate cam strip 89a adapted to engage the lowerterminal 19 of the nullifying cam control rod 61. Connecting said strips88 and 88a is the relatively thin connecting bar 89; and extendingradially inwardly from strip 88 is the block 99 which contains a channel9| providing three vertical cam surfaces 92, 93 and 94, respectively,adapted for engagement with certain pins (to be hereinafter described)for slidably shifting said cam unit 85 radially within the said pocket81 of the cam ring. The vertical surface 92 forms the inner wall ofchannel 9I and is obliquely disposed with respect to the radial extentof block 99; and the vertical walls 93 and 94 form the oppositelydisposed walls of channel 9I, wall 93 being lower than 94,"and being ata lesser angle with respect to the radial extent of block 99 than wall94, both of said walls 93 and 94 having preferably a common juncture 95at the front of block 99. It will be further observed that vertical camwalls 92 and 93 slope towards each other rearwardly from the entranceportion 96 of channel SI to the outlet portion 91 thereof.

By referring particularly to Figures 14 to 17, inclusive, it will beseen that disposed above the ,cylinder ring 85 is the stationary plate98 having fixedly mounted therein the downwardly extending return pin 99(see also Figures 10 to 13). This pin is so disposed with respect to thecam that it will engage surface 92 of the floating cam 85 during thelatters rotating movement with the cylinder ring 86. The engagementoccurs as indicated in Figure 10 (the cylinder ring moving inthedirection of arrow E). In this figure the floating cam 85 is shown inits extreme left position, providing a space I99 in the aforementionedpocket 81. Upon a continued movement of the cylinder ring with thefloating cam 85, it is evident that said floating cam 95 will be forcedto the right in the direction of arrow F (Figure all 10), due to theengaging action of return pin 99 with surface 92. Figure 11 shows thefinal or return position of the cam 85, after the pin 99 had engaged theentire surface 92. and been permitted to completely disengage itselffrom said surface through the rear opening 91. At this point theactuating pin IN (to be hereinafter described) is in position to engageeither the upper cam surface 94 or the lower cam surface 93, dependingupon the level of the bracket I92. If bracket I92 is at a higher level,it will engage only cam surface 94 as the floating cam revolves with thecylinder ring. Such action is illustrated in Figures 13 and 16. Theengagement of said actuating pin I9I with surface 94 causes an outwardradial movement of the entire floating cam in the direction of arrow G(Figure 13) thereby bringing the said floating cam to an intermediateposition at which it will engage only the terminal 83 of the stripercontrol rod, and not the terminal 19 of the nullifying cam control rod.But if the said bracket I02 is at its lower operative level, theactuating pin I9I will engage surface 93, and cause a complete shiftingof the floating cam to its extreme left limiting position, asillustrated in Figures 12, 14 and 17. In the latter position thefloating cam is in operative engagement with both the striper controlterminal 83 and the nullifying cam terminal 19.

In further elaboration of this action, it will be noted that when thefloating cam is in its extreme inner or return position, as illustratedin Figures 11 and 15, both control rod terminals 83 and 19 are out ofengagement with the cam strips 88 and 88a; and hence no upward motionsare imparted to the striper pawl 8I and the nullifying cam control rod61. When the floating cam 85 is. however, moved to its intermediateposition shown in Figures 13 and 16, it will be seen that the striperterminal rod 83 is in engagement with cam strip 88, whereas thenullifying cam control terminal 19 is still out of engagement with thecam strip 88a; and accordingly in this position the striper pawl 8| hasbeen raised into its operative position without in any way affecting thenullifying cam action. When the floating cam has been moved to itsextreme outer limiting position as shown in Figures 12 and 17, it willbe observed that both the striper and nullifying cam control rods 82 and19 have been elevated by the cam strips 88 and 88a to their upperoperative positions.

It will be further noted that since the cam strips 88 and 880. are eachprovided with relatively thin leading edges I93 and I94 respectively,the upward movements of the said rod terminals 83 and 19 are effectedgradually until they will have reached their respective maximum rises inaccordance with the respective maximum heights of said cam strips 88 and88a.

The structural details of the mechanism associated with bracket I92 issubstantially like that described in the said previous applicationSerial No. 35,376. Said bracket is pivotally ar ticulated at I95 withthe lever arm I98 to which is flxed the hollow boss I91, the latterbeing keyed On to the shaft I98 which carries the upwardly extending armI99 (Figures 10 and 15). In abutting engagement with said arm I99 is theadjustable stud II9 supported by the bracket III operatively associatedwith the support II2 within which is slideably mounted the plunger 8. Aspring II4, mounted over shaft I98, normally urges the arm 199 intoengagement with the stud H0, substantially as set forth in the saidprior patent application Serial No. 35,376.

In engagement with the outermost terminal of plunger H3 is the timingchain II5, said chain carrying links of different heights. The saidtiming chain is moved through a distance of one link for each revolutionof the knitting machine, substantially in the manner described in saidprior application, the detailsof the actuating mechanism not beingherein set forth since it is not necessary for an understanding of thepresent invention. Suffice it to say that the timing chain carries linkswhich are in constant engagement with the plunger H3, whereby saidplunger is maintained in one of three difierent positions depending uponthe height of the links. If the shortest link I I6 is in engagement withplunger II3, the plunger is in its outermost position, whereby the studI I is in a corresponding outermost position, whereby the arm I09, whichis in constant pressing engagement with stud I I0, will cause the leverarm I06 to be in its maximum raised position. It is apparent that saidlatter position is the one in which the bracket I02 is at its higherlevel, with the actuating pin IOI in its completely retracted positionas shown in Figure 15. When the link I" of intermediate height is inengagement with the plunger II3, it will have forced the plungerinwardly somewhat, causing corresponding movements of all the associatedparts until the bracket I02 is in its upper operative level shown inFigure 16, whereby the actuating pin IOI is in engagement with the saidupper vertical cam surface 94. And when the highest link H8 is inengagement with plunger II3, the bracket I02 will have operatively beenbrought down to its lower operative position as shown in Figure 17, theactuating pin IOI being now in engagement with the lower vertical camsurface 03.

It is thus apparent that the apparatus above described is capable ofindependently operating the striping apparatus and nullify ng cam. Thisis rendered possible by a combination of the novel floating cam 85 abovedescribed with cooperative actuating rods in engagement with means tooperate the striping box mechanism and the nullifying cam mechanism.This is accomplished by relatively simple settings in acoordance withthe desired pattern of the fabric to be produced by the machine. Thishas never heretofore been possible, as aforesaid, with a rotatingcylinder machine, unless very cumbersome and expensive electricalcontrols were employed,

or unless complex connecting linkages were used between the outsidesetting mechanism and the inner actuating mechanism for the stripers orother machineknitting elements. In the present apparatus, however, theuse of the floating cam requires no such complex apparatus, the entiremachine being flexibly controlled to obtain a great variety of knittingoperations. With the nullifying cam 31 in its raised retracted andinoperative position, the selector wheel 33 is permitted to perform itsdesign function in normal manner; and the striper stations may beoperated in accordance with the positioning of the floating cam, withoutin any way altering the position of the said nullifying cam 31. Butshould it be desired to completely nullify the action of the selectorwheel 33, that can readily be effected by means of the settinghereinabove described,

whereby the nullifying cam control rod I0 may either be engaged ordisengaged by the cam strip gla on the floating cam, without affecting10 the striper mechanism. The arrangement also obviates the need toincrease the number of striping stations to obtain, for example, largerstriped patterns, since the combination of the alternate stripingstations and knitting stations at the nullifying cam positions willcoactively produce such larger patterns, in accordance with thepresetting of the machine.

It is apparent that the flexibility of the apparatus above described forproducing various types and patterns of fabric is to a large degreedependent upon the action of the nullifying cam 31, controlled by thefloating cam mechanism 85. Although the nullifying cam above describedis vertically movable, as exemplified by nullifler 31, it is within ourcontemplation not to limit the construction of this mechanism to avertically slidable nullifying element. For example, Figures 18 to 21illustrate a modified form of nullifying cam producing the same resultas the preferred form above mentioned.

The cam member H9 is substantially like cam 30 above described, exceptthat a pivotally mounted nullifying cam I20 is employed. Said cam I20 ispivotally mounted at I2I and is normally maintained in its retracted andinoperative position substantially in the plane of cam I2'I, by thespring I22 (Figures 18 and 20). In this position the raising surface I23of the wing I24 of the nullifying cam engages the butts of needles 3Ib,whereby such needles will travel along path 36b, to the latch clearinglevel indicated by the letter C, whereafter the needles will bedrawndown by the stitch cam 43. When it is desired to bring the nullifyingcam into its operative projected position, an actuating arm 52a,substantially like 52 above mentioned, is moved downwardly in thedirection of arrow H (Figure 20) thereby engaging the curved arm I25 toproduce a pivotal movement of the cam about the pivot I2I against theaction of said spring I22. In this position, the wing I24 with itsraising cam I23 is moved out of the path of the butts of needles 3| b(see Figure 19), and out of the plane of cam I 21, thereby permittingthe needles to travel along a straight horizontal level, as indicated bythe path 360 of Figure 19. The needles are accordingly not elevated tolatch clearing position, and are thereby caused to engage the depressingsurface I26 0f the cam I21, whereby the needles are then brought totheir cast-01f positions. The movement of actuating arm 52a is notherein described, since its movement to two different levels can beaccomplished substantially in the manner in which the operativemovements of the above described actuating arm 52 have beenaccomplished.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by wayof example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations andmodifications may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore,that the invention is not limited to any specific form or manner ofpracticing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder withvertically movable needles, a selector wheel in operative engagementwith the butts of adjacent needles on the cylinder for operativelyraising selected needles and permitting others to pass therethro'gughunelevated, whereby the needles leave said wheel at predetermined upperand lower levels; and a stitch cam for depressing to a cast-off level;needles that had passed through said wheel, a cam assembly having a bodyportion, a nullifying cam between said selector wheel and stitch cammovably associated with the body portion and movable between retractedand projected limiting positions,

' wheel m be diverted from their knitting course.

2. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder withvertically movable needles, a selector wheel in operative engagementwith the butts of adjacent needles on the cylinder for operativelyraising selected needles and permitting others to pass therethroughunelevated, whereby the needles leave said wheel at predetermined upperand lower levels, and a stitch cam for depressing to a cast-off levelneedles that had passed through said wheel, a cam assembly having a bodyportion, a, nullifying cam movable between retracted and projectedlimiting positions,-a lifting cam and a lowering cam,

said nullifying, lifting and lowering cams being disposed on said bodyportion between said selector wheel and stitch cam, said lifting cambeing proportioned and positioned to engage the needles at said upperlevel and raise them to a latch-clearing position, said lowering cambeing proportioned and positioned to engage needles at said lower leveland lower them to a welt level, said nullifying cam having a needledepressing surface engaging the needles at said upper-level when thenullifying cam is in its said projected position and being out ofengagement therewith when in its said retracted position, said needledepressing surface being out of engagement with the needles at saidlower level when the nullifying cam is in both of its said limitingpositions, said needle depressing surface of the nullifying cam beingproportioned and positioned to depress the needles operatively engagedthereby to a level where they will be operatively engaged by saidlowering cam, whereby the needles unelevated by the wheel will bepermitted to follow their nonknitting course and needles selectivelyelevated by the selector wheel may be deflected from their knittingcourse.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder withvertically movable needles, a selector wheel in' operative engagementwith the'butts of adjacent needles on the cylinder for operativelyraising selected needles and permitting others to pass therethrough'unelevated, whereby the needles leave said wheel at pre determinedupper and lower levels, and a stitch cam for depressing to a cast-ofilevel needles that had passed through said wheel, a cam assembly havinga body portion, a recessed portion in said body portion between saidselector wheel and stitch cam, a nullifying cam slidably movable withinsaid recessed portion between retracted and projected limitingpositions, said nullifying cam having a needle depressing surfaceengaging the needles at said upper level when the nullifying cam is inits said projected position and being out of engagement therewith whenin its said retracted position, said needle depressing surface being outof engagement with the needles at said lower level when the nullifyingcam is in both of its said limiting positions, and selective means forreciprocatingly actuating said nullifying cam between its said limitingpositions, whereby the needles unelevated by the wheel will be permittedto follow their non-knitting course and needles selectively elevated bythe selector wheel may selectively be diverted from their knittingcourse.

4. In a circular knitting machine of the class described, thecombinatiomaccording to claim 2. there being a recessed portion in saidbody portion between said selector wheel and stitch cam,

' the nullifying cam being slidably movable within said recessed portionbetween its said limiting positions, an actuating arm in engagement withsaid nullifying cam, and selective means for reciprocatingly moving saidactuating arm.

5. In a circular knitting machine of the class described, thecombination according to claim 2, the nullifying cam beingreciprocatingly movable vertically upon said body portion between itssaid limiting positions, the nullifying cam having an upwardly extendingarm carrying its said needle depressing surface, the nullifying camhaving a slotted portion therein, an actuating arm in engagement withsaid slotted portion, and selective means for reciprocatingly movingsaid actuating arm.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a revolving needle cylinderwith vertically movable needles, a selector wheel-in operativeengagement with the butts of adjacent needles on the cylinder foroperatively raising selected needles and permitting others to passtherethrough unelevated, whereby the needles leave said wheel atpredetermined upper and lower levels, a stitch cam for depressing to acast-off level needles that had passed through said wheel, a camassembly having a body portion, a nullifying cam between said selectorwheel and stitch cam movably associated with the body portion andmovable between retracted and projected limiting positions, saidnullifying cam having a needle depressing surface amazin the needles atsaid upper level when the nullifying cam is in its said projectedposition and being out of engagement therewith when in its saidretracted position, said needle depressing surface being out ofengagement with the needles at said lower level when the nullifying camis in both of its said limiting positions, an actuating arm inengagement with said nullifying cam and movable between two limitingpositions corresponding to those of the nullifying cam,-a cam blockcarried by said arm, a ratchet wheel adjacent said block, stud membersextending from a lateral face of the ratchet wheel and engageable withsaid block to actuate it and the said arm, whereby the said nullifyingcam will be correspondingly actuated, a pawl operatively engageable withsaid ratchet wheel, a nullifying cam control rod operatively connectedwith said pawl, and selective means in an operative position beingadapted to engage 4 1 control rod during a revolution of the cylinderring, thereby actuating said nullifying cam.

8. In a circular knitting machine having a revolving cylinder ringcarrying a needle cylinder with vertically movable needles and aplurality of stationary striping boxes circumferentially disposed aboutthe machine, and having a movable actuator operatively connected to eachbox, the combination of a plurality of non-striping stations alternatelydisposed about the cylinder between said striping boxes, each of saidstations having aselector wheel in operative engagement with the buttsof adjacent needles on the cylinder for operatively raising selectedneedles and permitting others to pass therethrough unelevated, wherebythe needles leave said wheel at predetermined upper and lower levels, astitch cam for depressing to a cast-oil level needles that had passedthrough said wheel, a cam assembly having a body portion, a nullifyingcam between said selector wheel and stitch cam movably associated withthe body portion and movable between rctracted and projected limitingpositions, said nullifying cam having a needle depressing surfaceengaging the needles at said upper level when the nullifying cam is inits said projected position and being out of engagement therewith whenin its said retracted position, said needle depressing surface being outof engagement with the needles at said lower level when the'nullifyingcam is in both of its said limiting positions, an actuating arm inengagement with said nullifying cam and movable between two limitingpositions corresponding to those of the nullifying cam, a movablenullifying cam control rod operatively connected to each of saidactuating arms, a movable striper control rod operatively connected toeach of said movable actuators, a floating cam resting on said cylinderring and slidably movable relative thereto substantially radially intothree different positions, namely innermost and outermost limitingpositions and an intermediate position, said floating cam when in one ofsaid posi tions being out of engagement with both of said control rods.when in another of said positions being in successive engagement withthe striper control rods and out of engagement with the other controlrod, and when in the third of said positions being in successiveengagement with both of said control rods, during the operativerevolution of the cylinder ring.

9. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim 8,the bottom terminal of each of said control rods being in slidableengagement with the floor of the cylinder ring when the said floatingcam is out of engagement therewith.

10. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim8, the position of the floating cam in which it is out of engagementwith both of said control rods being the said innermost position, itsposition when in engagement with both of said control rods being, itssaid outermost position.

11. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim8, the said floating cam having two spaced elongated strips the uppersurfaces of which are operatively engageable with said respectivecontrol rods, one of said strips being engageable only with the stripercontrol rods, and the other only with the nullifying cam control rods.

12. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim8, the said floating cam having a channel formed by opposite verticalconverging cam walls, one side of said chane nel having a single wallobliquelydisposed with spective intermediate and other limitingpositions.

13. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim12, the said rear opening formed by said channel walls beingproportioned and positioned to clear the said pins during the rotarymovement of the floating cam with the cylinder ring.

14. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim8, the said floating cam having a channel formed by opposite verticalconverging cam walls, one side of said channel having a single wallobliquely dispos d with respect to the radial extent of the floatingcam, the other side of the channel having two walls of different heightsconverging rearwardly towards said single wall and forming an opening atthe rear of the floating cam, further provided with a return pinengageable with said single wall to slidably move the floating cam toits limiting position where it is out of engagement with both of saidcontrol rods, and a movable actuating pin engageable selectively withsaid other two walls for slidably moving the floating cam to saidrespective intermediate and other limiting positions, the said actuatingpin being selectively movable to three difierent levels, one in which itis engageable with the higher of the said two walls, another in which itis engageable with the lower of the said two walls, and one in which itis above and out of engagement with both of said walls, the said twowalls being at diiferent inclinations to the radial extent of thefloating cam.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the combination according to claim8, the said floating cam having a channel iormed'by opposite verticalconverging cam Walls, one side of said channel having a single wallobliquely disposed with respect to the radial extent of the floatingcam, the other side of the channel having two walls of different heightsconverging rearwardly towards said single wall and forming an opening atthe rear of the floating cam, further provided with a return pinengageable with said single wall to slidably move the floating cam toits limiting position where it is out of engagement with both of saidcontrol rods, and a movable actuating pin engageable selectively withsaid other two walls for slidably moving the floating cam to saidrespective intermediate and other limiting positions, the said returnpin being fixed and disposed radially inwardly with respect to the saidactuating pin, the said single wall being disposed inwardly with respectto the said two walls.

16. A camming mechanism comprising a revolvable member, a floating camslidably mounted on said revolvable member and movable relative theretobetween two limiting positions and an intermediate position, saidpositions being at different distances from the center of rotation ofthe revolvable member measured along a horizontal plane, two movableelements adapted to be actuated by diiierent portions of said camREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

Number 16 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Paquette Aug. 8, 1911 GlennMay 2, 1916 Krieble June 29, 1926 Kretser Aug. 14, 1934 Agulnek July 2,1935 Lawson et al July 12, 1938 Lombardi July l9, 1938 Lombardi Sept.20, 1938 Zieve July 5, 1949

